


Unearthed

by Stella_STARgazer



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F, Post S6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 12:13:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17345036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stella_STARgazer/pseuds/Stella_STARgazer
Summary: Try as one might, some things just won't stay buried forever.





	Unearthed

**Author's Note:**

> I'm stepping into another long, multi-character story. (WTF have I gotten myself into?!) Picking up from s6, let's go on a journey. My head canon (daydream), as it looks less and less likely that it will actually come to fruition.
> 
> Forewarning: the updates may be slower as I'm still working out the full outline on this, but this chapter has been sitting in my computer for a few weeks and it's like loose change burning a hole in my pocket...I just GOTTA post it! x-p

“Miss Bennett.” The officer speaks softly as he walks into the petite woman’s living room. She sits on the worn leather couch, legs curled beneath her as she stares blankly at the black screen of the tv. After a moment with no response, he clears his throat and tries again.

“Miss Bennett.”

Snapped from her absent-minded haze, Vera turns toward the sound of her name and blinks as she registers the uniform and badge.

“Forensics has finished their work and the coroner is clearing the scene now, so we should be on our way in half an hour. Are you alright here alone, or is there anyone you’d like us to call before we leave?”

“Umm, no. I’ll be fine...thank you.” She replies with a firm nod as her mind fully returns to the present.

Stepping forward, the officer pulls a card from the pocket of his vest and extends it to her with a kind smile. “If you should have any questions or need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the station.” She accepts the card with an appreciative nod and slips it into the pocket of her sweater.

“Try to get some rest, Miss Bennett.” He advises kindly.

“Will do.” She rises from the couch and follows him to the front door where he turns to offer a final farewell. “Thank you for everything officer,” she offers in gratitude as she closes the door and locks up behind him.

A grand exhale escapes her tired frame as she turns her back and leans heavily against the door. Every muscle aches from the tension that she’s held in them since first seeing Murphy on her step just a few hours ago. She breathes deeply in an effort to release the knot of anxiety balled tightly in her narrow chest and allows heavy eyelids to slip shut for a moment of rest. Suddenly, a bright flash of crimson splatters across her vision as the bullet slips through Murphy’s temple; ocean eyes fly open with a gasp. Heart racing, she peels herself from the door and goes into the kitchen.

From the freezer she collects Murphy’s phone, where she’d tossed it in a moment of panic, and from the knife block, the sturdy meat cleaver. Placing the mobile in a ziplock bag, she sets it on her large wooden cutting board. Motionless, she stares at the object for a long moment before finally lifting her hand and slamming the cleaver down hard against the screen, watching the cracks as they splinter across the surface. Another few strikes and the device is in utter ruins, effectively destroying all the incriminating evidence it contains.

Moving to the window, she draws the curtain back just a fraction; the red-blue dance of light has finally made its exit. A sigh of relief escapes her dry, cracked lips. Outside, she quietly slips the bag into her neighbor’s bin that’s already out on the curb to be collected in the morning. Slipping back inside, she makes her way to the bathroom for a shower.

Half an hour later she crawls into bed, but lingering fear keeps the bedside lamp on. Duvet pulled high around her chin, she closes her eyes and tries to push away the memories. She should feel better, safer, now that Murphy’s gone and Will and Jake pinned Joan’s death on Channing, but the rapid-fire beating of her heart speaks to the contrary. For hours, she tosses and turns as her brain plays through the long line of recent bad decisions that landed them here. Finally, exhaustion wins out and lulls her into a fretful sleep.

Morning comes fast and the unforgiving blare of her alarm startles her from a dreamless sleep. She prepares for work as usual, pulling back her tight bun, though it makes her headache worse. In the vanity by the front door, she catches her reflection and frowns at the puffy bags that settle beneath her tempest eyes. She arrives at work to Will and Jake waiting impatiently outside her office door.

With a sharp inhale then long sigh, she steps into her office as they trail behind her like chicks following their mother hen. Will closes the door behind them as Jake immediately launches into his fevered inquisition.

“What the fuck happened, Vera?!” He exclaims in a strained whisper as he approaches her desk. With fiery eyes, she meets his gaze and takes a seat in her ill-fitting throne.

“Why yes, I did have a terrible night, Mr. Stewart, but I’m fine….thanks for asking.” She fixes him with a death glare across the desk and his gaze immediately softens.

“Vera, I’m sorry...I…” he backpedals to no avail. “Fuck off, Jake.” She quips icily.

“Vera, are you sure you should be here today? You should go home and rest, we can manage the shift without you.” Will offers sympathetically as he sees the fatigue etched across her gaunt face.

She looks up to him with a small smile and negative shake of her head. “No, I’ll be fine, but thank you.”

He returns a kind glance and a tight lipped smile then cautiously proceeds to the matter at hand, “So, it was Murphy….and she just showed up on your doorstep last night?”

Vera sighs and crosses slender arms across her chest. She’ll have to handle the subject eventually, so she opts to get it out and finish the discussion for good.

“She showed up because we had arranged it.” Will and Jake grow wide eyed at the revelation. Knowing the admission will catch her flack, she puts up her palms to quiet the expected protests and continues.

“After the fiasco at Bea’s grave, I text the number asking for a meeting...just the two of us. That night she showed up at my door and told me exactly what she wanted. We made arrangements for her to come back last night because I was going to pay her off, on the condition that she delete all the texts and photos of us from her phone in front of me. But….Channing...shot her before she had the chance.”

A low growl escapes between Jake’s tightly clenched teeth as his hands reach up to run nervous fingers through his straw-colored waves. “Fuck! So the police have that evidence now?” Will’s mouth falls open as he looks to Vera with a nervous expression.

“No.” She replies calmly. Jake’s gaze shoots up from the desk, eyes wide with confusion. “What do you mean, no?”

“I took it, before the police arrived. After they left last night, I smashed it and threw it in the neighbor’s bins. It’ll have been picked up by rubbish collection this morning.” She dips her head and bites her bottom lip. It unnerves her how easily all these devious acts have come and how quickly she’s able to forget them.

Suddenly, a low chuckle filters through the room and she looks up as it grows louder and more disturbing. Across the desk, Jake’s hands are steepled in prayer afront his mouth, as the laugh gurgles from his parted lips.

“You’re a fucking genius, Vera!” He exclaims with excitement and a resounding clap of his hands, causing the other two to startle and jump. She eyes him sternly and eventually his laughter subsides and he grows quiet, though the smile of relief remains.

“So, between that and the scheming you two did last night, I think we can put this fucking disaster behind us. I will not speak about any of this again, and I better not hear of it again from either of you. Do I make myself clear?” She casts an expectant, unyielding gaze between them and inhales deeply when they both nod in approval.

“Good. Now get to your posts.” Rolling to her computer, she switches on the screen and proceeds to start her morning, eager to move on and put this all well and truly behind them.

Jake rises from the desk and tries to meet her gaze, but she ignores the persistent burn of his eyes until he gives up and finally leaves the room. When Will reaches the door, he turns back in her direction and she looks up from her computer to meet his timid gaze.

“I’m sorry, Vera. For everything.” He mutters, his sad chocolate eyes bear his overwhelming shame.

Sympathy lights her seafoam eyes as her lips draw into a thin line, “It’s done, Will,” she replies with a brief nod before returning to her work.


End file.
